Replay: Chat with CCHA commissioner Fred Pletsch and George Sipple

Fred and George answered fans' questions March 22, 2013

Fred and George are here to answer your questions about the CCHA, the league's final tournament this weekend and the college hockey landscape.

by James Jahnke3/22/2013 3:00:10 PM

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:00:06 PM

3rd & 7 37yd

3rd & 7 37yd

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It's the end of an era! This is the 42nd and final CCHA Championship being held this weekend at Joe Louis Arena. But we plan to C-E-LE-B-R-A-T-E (not commiserate) with four great teams. Looking forward to chatting and talking some college hockey.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:00:47 PM

Austin Czarnik was named one of the 10 Hobey Baker finalists on Thursday. Czarnik will find out tonight if he is awarded the CCHA player of the year. Fred, what makes Czarnik such a dynamic player?

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:02:23 PM

He has tremendous quickness for starters and works equally hard at both ends of the ice so I know college coaches respect him as a two-way player. His skill-set reminds me a lot of former Michigan player T.J. Hensick. Of course, the league's seventh Hobey Baker winner was a RedHawk (Andy Miele) so we'll hope Miami can make it two in a row.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:05:07 PM

Why is the tournament Saturday-Sunday instead of Friday-Saturday?

by Golf3/22/2013 3:05:29 PM

There was an administrative oversight last summer and the original NHL schedule had a Red Wings game tonight. The CCHA got special dispensation from the NCAA and ESPN to play Sat/Sun...and it worked out great because the college hockey spotlight will, fittingly, be focused squarely on the CCHA's very last game.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:07:14 PM

Curious as to why the consolation game was done away with this season? Was it because of the Saturday Sunday format, or do the coaches not think it's important?

by voxomsu3/22/2013 3:07:34 PM

No third-place game this year because the Championship game is at 2:05 on Sunday and the third-place contest would have to start at 10:30 which, naturally, is impossible.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:08:53 PM

Fred let’s get your thoughts on the four CCHA semifinalists. First up, Miami, led by Austin Czarnik (Washington) and Riley Barber (Livonia).

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:09:41 PM

RedHawks are so young I don't think they feel pressure...a real 'live in the moment' type team...And what a story Barber is...with his dad Don (who won the Mason Cup in 1988 at BGSU) trying to become the second father/son combo with their name on the Cup. Anybody know who the first is?

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:11:10 PM

Are you surprised Michigan has turned things around to advance to the Joe for the 24th straight season?

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:11:55 PM

A little bit but not all that much because of the tremendous amount of talent on the team. A dozen NHL draft picks and five defensemen in the lineup who will likely play in the NHL. Jon Merrill is healthy and I don't think I've seen goalie Steve Racine have to make more than one rebound save a game. Red Berenson always says he just wants his goalie to 'stop the shots he's supposed to stop' and Racine has been doing exactly that for the past six weeks.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:14:14 PM

Your thoughts on Notre Dame, led by Anders Lee and Bryan Rust (Novi)?

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:14:25 PM

Never count out a Jeff Jackson-coached team at Joe Louis Arena. The Irish 'D' is big, mobile and nasty. Rust was the best player on the ice last weekend against BGSU and Islanders draft pick Lee, Mario Lucia and T.J. Tynan all have the potential to be game breakers.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:16:09 PM

And finally Ohio State, led by led by senior goaltender Brady Hjelle?

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:16:22 PM

It really does all start with goaltending for the Buckeyes. Bill McKenzie was the first Championship MVP for Ohio State in 1972...for the Bucks to go bookends, I think Brady will have to be the last MVP. Everyone talks about Miami's youth but OSU is a very, very young team too. Mark Osiecki is challenging Rico Blasi for CCHA Coach of the Year honors....the OSU/ND matchup could be a classic.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:18:31 PM

Does Michigan have any chance of making teh NCAAs if it doesn't win the tournament?

by Golf3/22/2013 3:18:46 PM

Do you think Michigan has a chance to sneak an at large NCAA bid if they beat Miami but lose in the finals?

by Bryan Robbins3/22/2013 3:18:53 PM

It appears that Miami and Notre Dame are definitely in for the NCAA tournament. Western Michigan is on the bubble. Ohio State and U-M are out, unless they win the Mason Cup this weekend.

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:19:00 PM

No, I think all the Wolverines and their staff know they have to run the table this weekend to keep their NCAA Tournament streak alive. Buckeyes also have to win while the Broncos are sit and wait....and last night's win by Wisconsin over Minnesota State at the WCHA's Final Five didn't help WMU's cause.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:21:10 PM

Did you try to fight to keep the CCHA going? Or was it inevitable? Why did the WCHA survive instead of the CCHA?

by Appleby3/22/2013 3:21:23 PM

We worked hard two summers ago to keep the CCHA brand alive but ultimately couldn't get buy-in from some schools. Ironically, if Northern Michigan's former president hadn't jumped the gun to get his school into the WCHA (he did so thinking that St. Cloud and WMU were going to be in the league), then the CCHA would have continued on. Because when you look at the 'new' WCHA', there are 5 CCHA schools and 4 WCHA schools.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:23:48 PM

Where will the CCHA trophies and other artifacts be housed after this season concludes?

by Antoine Pitts3/22/2013 3:24:13 PM

The CCHA is a non-for-profit organization. In order to get State of Michigan approval to dissolve we need somewhere to house our financial records/tax returns, etc., for a number of years. Bowling Green, the only school that's iced a team in the CCHA all 42 years has agreed to do that in exchange for be able to get all the trophies, etc., for an historical display. We actually have a 54-foot long CCHA 'Wall of History' on display at the Joe this weekend that will eventually be transferred to BG and displayed there.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:26:56 PM

After 42 years, the CCHA is disbanding. What forced this move? What do you see for the future of college hockey in the Midwest?

by RZangrilli3/22/2013 3:27:25 PM

Blame the Big Ten, right?

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:27:53 PM

It all started when Penn State received 103 MILLION dollars to start varsity hockey. PSU became the sixth B10 hockey school and six is the threshold number to hold a B10 championship in a sport. Then a lot of other schools starting banding together in 'like-minded' fashion (the schools in the new NCHC). I think the future is still a bit of a mystery and I'm not convinced the landscape won't change again.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:30:11 PM

There's more than one Mason Cup. What will happen to the Cups? I'm assuming Bowling Green won't get all of them.

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:30:29 PM

The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto wants the Mason Cup and CCHA regular-season championship trophy.....along with a lot of artifacts from this weekend such as the game-winning puck, stick of the player who scores it, a copy of the FOX Sports Detroit game tape along with ticket stubs, programs, etc.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:31:50 PM

How many former CCHA coaches and players are coming back for the final weekend?

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:32:08 PM

Approximately 50. We invited every former coach, CCHA Player of the Year and Championship MVP...Many of those of a recent vintage are still playing professionally, of course but we're going to welcome, among others...Hobey Baker winners George McPhee and Brian Holzinger, Ron Scott - who stopped a penalty shot in overtime for MSU in the 1983 Championship game....and the founding fathers of the CCHA - Ron Mason, Bill Selman and Jack Vivian....they started the league at Parker House in Boston in April of 1971...and will gather again to drop the puck on Sunday!

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:35:10 PM

Fred, you mentioned you aren't sure the landscape won't change again. Do you think the CCHA could come back? Do you think some schools may end up folding their hockey programs in the near future?

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:35:23 PM

The next few years will be very interesting....we interviewed three dozen people for a 'History of the CCHA' video and Ron Mason said that the athletic directors at U-M and MSU decided back in 1980, "What are we doing flying all over the place, spending all kinds of money on travel - let's form a bus league." If you believe that history repeats itself, I wonder what the future holds because EVERY team based in the Midwest is going to see a dramatic increase in cost of travel.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:38:40 PM

The final CCHA Awards show is tonight at the Fox Theatre. Fred, who are some of the guys featured in the video before the awards are handed out?

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:39:16 PM

We are actually showing a one-half hour excerpt of the 80-minute video that focuses on a 15-year period when CCHA teams captured 7 national championships. We've got Gino Cavallini talking about his OT goal in 1984, Brendan Morrison talking about his OT goal in 1996....the Lakers and their incredible run of 3 national titles. It really is a well-done piece...and fans can buy tickets at the door...it includes a get together afterwards with all the former coaches in attendance...Doors open at 5:30 and tix oare $25.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:42:13 PM

We'll take a few more questions before we wrap up the chat with Fred.

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:42:27 PM

How do you guys rank the strength of the college hockey conferences for next season?

by Fred19903/22/2013 3:42:36 PM

I think conference strength is relative. The key, as it is now, is how teams perform in their non-conference games. I remember 2004 when 5 CCHA teams made the NCAA Tournament....U-M, MSU, MIA and OSU all played one another 4 times....they all 'cleaned up' in non-conference games...that raised the level for everyone and they all made the tourney...along with Notre Dame too.

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:44:39 PM

What will you be doing next year?

by Appleby3/22/2013 3:45:06 PM

Not sure....would love to stay in hockey, college hockey, college athletics. The only sure thing is that I will be the first commissioner to be handing out the Mason Cup AND my resume at Joe Louis Arena. :)

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:46:33 PM

Thanks for taking time to chat with college hockey fans Fred. I think it's going to be Michigan and Notre Dame playing on Sunday, with the Wolverines falling just short of a trip to the NCAA tournament.

by George Sipple3/22/2013 3:47:42 PM

I hope that everyone brings their 'A' game and we have three games that really 'Celebrate The Legacy' of the CCHA. Also forgot to mention for anyone that's interested, we are having a sale of all sorts of CCHA memorabilia....jerseys, signage, pictures, awards at JLA...there's some great stuff..

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:49:27 PM

Thanks for having me on and hope to see everyone at the Joe tomorrow and Sunday

by Fred Pletsch3/22/2013 3:49:51 PM

And don't forget to read about the final weekend of the CCHA at www.freep.com